


Christmas at the Weasley's

by BeCrazyBeYou24601



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Christmas, Holidays, M/M, The Burrow
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-09-10
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-04-20 03:10:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 9,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4771265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BeCrazyBeYou24601/pseuds/BeCrazyBeYou24601
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Harry was having a happy Christmas with his friends and adoptive family when, the person who he least expected walked through the front door, Draco Malfoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Christmas Crackers

Molly Weasely bustled into the vibrant dining room carrying two plates laden with food, she was closely followed by Ginny and Hermione; both of which were carrying plates equally piled up. They carefully set the plates down on the red table cloth and tucked themselves in. 

"Arthur! Dinner is on the table!" Molly called out to her husband as she began passing the gravy around. "Harry, dear, do you want gravy? Oh _Ronald!_ Don't finish it _all!_ Pass it to Harry! That's it dear... _Arthur!_ " 

It was only when everyone was sitting around the table holding the christmas crackers ready when Arthur Weasley finally entered the room.

"Sorry to keep you waiting, start everyone! Start!" He sat himself down at the head of the table and beamed at everyone. "Right.." He took up his cracker to complete the circle and on the count of three a burst of colour filled the room. There were streamers, and a small eruption of fireworks rising from the table. 

"Made them you know," George said to Harry through a mouthful of food, as he nodded toward the two halfs of his cracker, one in each hand. After a while, George had taken up inventing things again, he didn't enjoy it without his twin but at least it brought a small light back into his eyes.

"I believe you," Harry grinned, taking off his glasses that had misted up after the colourful smoke had appeared.

"Great," George said, nodding. " _Wonderful_ ,"

Ron looked at them both in turn, he was impressed with his brother, but he was trying not to show it.

"Harry," Hermione called over from her spot in between Ginny and Ron. "What did you get in yours? I got this.." She held up a small bottle full of pink liquid.

"Ah, the love potion," George smiled. "Who you gonna use _that_ on Hermione? Not Ron, I hope?" George waggled his eyebrows at her, she sighed and looked away, hiding a blush.  
Harry was just about to state that he didn't actually know where his gift had gone when an owl pecked on the window. Everyone at the table stopped eating and looked up at it.

"It's from the ministry," Arthur said, wiping his mouth with his napkin and standing up to let the owl in. He took the letter from the bird's beak and opened it.  
There was silence as he read it, all eyes where on him; who could be owling Arthur at this time?  
Arthur cleared his throat and looked up at the worried faces. 

"No need to worry, just a muggle saying they saw a wizard is all. I'll only be a few hours," He planted a kiss on his wife's cheek and popped one last potato into his mouth before waving to the everyone. "Cheerio!" 

* * *

"Sounds like Dad's back," Ginny said as they all stood about in the kitchen, and, Molly, hearing the door close went to greet him. She stopped dead in her tracks.  
Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a look of confusion, and walked out to see why. Molly's eyes were full of fury as she stared at the figure standing behind her husband on the door mat. 

"You!" She growled, marching toward them, "What are _you_ doing here? Arthur, what is he _doing_ here?!" 

"Umm...you see Molly," Arthur began, "He was the wizard that the muggle saw, so--"

"So?! So what? So you invited him _home?_ At _Christmas?_ You brought him _here?_ What about _Harry?_ What about _us?_ What about _Fred?!_ " On the last word Molly's eyes were no longer filled with anger, but with tears, she was still broken from the loss of her son and she would never recover. 

The figure came forward but didn't remove their cloak or shoes.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry Mrs Weasley, I really am. I regret everything, the war, the part I played in it...your son...the thoughts have _plagued_ me ever since, I've never slept a full night--"

"Do you think you're the _only one_ that hasn't slept, Malfoy," Harry interrupted, stepping in as Molly could no longer speak. "I know that I definitely haven't; and you have the nerve to say that to a women who has _lost_ her _son_ ," 

"Look here," Arthur said, stepping further into the room. " _Just_ because Draco here fought on a different side it doesn't mean he didn't lose things too. I brought him here because he has no one to spend Christmas with, his parents being, you know.. _Azkaban_ and all. In the end he realised what he did wrong, didn't he? So can't you be the lovely people I know you all are and welcome Mr Malfoy at Christmas?" He smiled at everyone expectantly. 

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded slowly, however they glared at Malfoy as they quickly left the room. George and Ginny followed their example and it wasn't long before Mrs Weasley walked off into the kitchen muttering " _At Christmas of all times_ ," under her breath.


	2. Beginnings?

"Do you think we should try and be nice to him?" Harry questioned, fiddling with the homemade rug as he, Ron and Hermione sat in a triangle on Ron's bedroom floor. Both Ron and Hermione looked at him in astonishment.

"Harry," Hermione began, "He fought with Voldemort, he was a death eater, he killed Dumbledore, he teased us for years, the list goes on!"

"She has a point, Harry..." Ron stated.

"Yeah, I know, but his parents are in Azkaban, it feels shit to have no parents, okay?" Harry argued. "He has no one else. He only did what he had to in the war, just like the rest of us."

Ron raised his eyebrows. "Whatever, mate. You and Dad can be nice to him if you want, but I'm certainly not gonna sit and chat with him as though nothing happened." Hermione nodded in agreement.

"Fine," Harry sighed as he stood up. When he walked out, closing the door behind him, the other two simply looked at one another and shrugged. Harry had always been this way; doing what he thought was right and not really listening to anyone else's opinions about the matter. More often than not, though, he _was_ correct.

 

"Hey," Harry said as he emerged from the stairs. Malfoy was sitting on the brown sofa drinking from a mug covered in tiny christmas trees. He nodded to Harry, who came and sat beside him.

They sat there, side by side, saying nothing for about 10 minutes. Malfoy staring at his mug of tea, and Harry at his shabby trainers. 

"Um..Potter?" Malfoy broke the silence. "What, exactly, are you doing?"

"Hmm," Harry shrugged absent mindedly, "Thought I'd be the _lovely_ person Mr Weasley thinks I am, and welcome you, _on Christmas_ ,"

"Git,"

"That's no way to respond to your welcoming party," Harry said light heartedly, looking up from his trainers at his enemy.

"No offence, Potter, but you aren't exactly a welcoming party," Draco responded, with a slight smirk. He looked up at Harry, and was surprised to see a smile on the other boy's lips. 

"Malfoy?" Harry said, after a few brief minutes of looking at eachother, and then anything but eachother. "What the fuck where you doing when that muggle saw you?"

Draco looked back at his tea. "Had nowhere to go...I was just wandering, in the rain" He gestured to the curtained window where the sounds of hail stones where audible.

"Yeah, I know, but what were you _doing?_ "

"What does it matter to _you?_ " Malfoy said, violently.

"Nothing, I guess, just curious.." Harry muttered, Malfoy glared at him and Harry stood up, this conversation seemed to be headed in the wrong direction. "Night then, Malfoy," 

"Potter," Malfoy answered, watching as Harry walked off upstairs. He quickly downed the rest of his tea, and, after taking it in to the kitchen, followed Harry upstairs. He was staying in Charlie Weasley's old room, and once in bed, it didn't take long before he was fast asleep.

* * *

It continued like this for a few days, Harry trying to forget about the past and be nice to Malfoy, and Draco, knowing that he owed Harry alot, both from the war and for being prepared to include him when the others didn't seem to be; trying to _let_ Harry be nice to him. Which, after 6 years of mocking, was a lot easier said than done.

After 5 days of this, Hermione approached Malfoy, who was reading on a bench in the garden; it was freezing and it was forecast to snow later, but he didn't seem to notice, or if he did, he didn't care. 

"Malfoy..?" She said, hesitantly, she'd barely said a word to him since he'd arrived, and she wasn't completely sure what she was going to say now, but she thought she should say something. She bent down and brushed some frost off the bench before sitting down beside him. Draco glanced at Hermione, her frizzy brown hair sticking out beneath her grey woolen hat. 

"I'm sorry, Granger..." He said, it came out as more of a plea rather than an actual apology. He coughed, and began again. "I'm sorry for calling you...names...at Hogwarts. I thought it was right, I thought--"

"Nevermind what you thought," Hermione cut in, "What matters is what you think now, and any fool can see how sorry you are. We should've listened to Harry," 

"Potter? What did he have to do with it?" Draco asked, confused. What was did Potter say?

"Mmm," She nodded, looking up and meeting Malfoy's frown. "When you first got here, we wanted you gone, well, Ron and I did anyway..."

"Yeah, that much was obvious, what did he say?" Malfoy was impatient, couldn't she just cut to the chase?

"Nothing much, just that we're mad at you for what _we_ lost, but _you_ lost stuff too. When we disagreed, he stormed off...to see you..."Hermione trailed off. She looked down at her mittened hands. "We're going for a walk, want to come?"

Draco was shocked, one moment no one would talk to him and the next one of his biggest childhood rivals was inviting him to walk with them. 

"Sure," He nodded, and after Hermione had gone, he smiled to himself, before following her in.


	3. Hats and Scarves

Harry gave Draco a lopsided grin as they started their walk, however it wasn't long before the Golden Trio became just that once more, a trio; and Draco was left with his thoughts a few feet behind. The three of them were hurriedly whispering and would occasionally glance back at him. It reminded him so much of days at Hogwarts that he almost made some snide comment about it, but quickly stopped himself as he realised he could use all the friends he could get. Yes, even them. 

Draco began to wonder about where he would go after christmas, he couldn't stay with the Weasley's for too long, he was already an imposition, and he certainly didn't want to go back to the manor. He hadn't slept a single night that he'd spent there since the war. He was so lost in thought that he didn't realise Harry had fallen back and was walking beside him. 

"Potter," He greeted him, it felt strange to say his name and not proceed to mock him or laugh about him with his friends.

"Couldn't walk with them much longer," Harry said, wrinkling his nose in mock disgust as he nodded towards his two best friends walking hand in hand up ahead. 

"I see," Draco chuckled, "And here, I thought you just wanted to pleasure of my company,"

"You wish, Malfoy,"

Draco scoffed but didn't respond, he glanced over and saw snow beginning to settle in the unruly black hair of his companion.

They'd been walking for about 20 minutes in silence, hearing only incomprehensible chatter from up ahead, when they heard Ron calling out.

"We're at the pub, mate, wanna go in?" He was obviously adressing Harry. Malfoy had been staying almost a week and Ron had managed to barely say a word to him. Harry looked at Draco and nodded.

"Yeah!" He shouted back to Ron, and both Draco and Harry began walking a bit faster. When they got in Hermione and Ron were already at a table, pulling off their hats and scarfs, revealing messy hair and red noses.

"This is a muggle place, remember," Ron whispered as Harry and Draco sat down.

"I didn't even know it was here," Harry stated, looking around at the interior. It was a stone building with a fire blazing in a huge fireplace at one end. It was a relatively dark room, but he felt it only made it seem more cozy, especially when it was cold out. His two best friends had chosen to sit beside a small christmas tree. It was well decorated and had a few small presents laying underneath.

"It's quite new, actually," Ron responded, "Sort of built up from an old ruin or something," He shrugged. "Butterbeer, please," He asked when they were approached by a waitress. Ron jolted violently as Hermione kicked him under the table. "Oh..um..coke?"  
When the waitress had walked away Hermione glared at Ron.

"For goodness sake, Ronald!" she hissed. 

"Forgot?" He shrugged with a half smile. 

"Are you going back to Hogwarts this year, Harry?" Hermione asked, choosing to ignore Ron. "It's just we can decide, you see, because our seventh year was so...messed up. Some people are going back, and retaking it. You know, for the N.E.W.Ts."

"Yeah, I know Hermione. I haven't really thought about it."

"I have, I'm definately going to go." She said, proudly. Harry nodded and smiled at her before turning to claim his drink from the waitress who had just re-emerged. 

"What about you, Malfoy?" Harry asked, taking a sip of his hot chocolate. 

"Don't know," He sighed, looking down at his tea and swirling the teaspoon around in circles. "I guess I might, I don't really know what I want to be anymore, but I there's no harm in having the N.E.W.Ts I s'pose. ...Weasley?" Draco asked him hesitantly, Ron had yet to speak to him and he wasn't sure if he was 'allowed' but he did want to try and at least be on speaking terms with the boy. 

"Fuck off, _Malfoy_ ," Ron huffed, wrinkling his face in what seemed to be disgust. Draco, not wanting to cause a fuss, simply bowed his head and took a sip of his tea.

 

"Sorry about Ron," Harry said later when they were walking back to The Burrow. "He's having a hard time forgiving you." 

"It's fine," Draco said, quietly, kicking a clump of snow. "I deserve it," 

"You do," Harry nodded, trying to keep a straight face.

"Fucking twat," Smiled Draco when he looked up and saw Harry on the verge of laughter. He elbowed him, and, Harry, not expecting it, stumbled forwards. "Serves you right,"


	4. Morning Person

Draco looked up from his cereal as Harry loudly thundered down the stairs. 

"Not very quiet considering there are people sleeping," Draco mocked, looking Harry up and down and taking in his messy hair and tired eyes. He had clearly shoved on the first t-shirt he could find to go with his striped pyjama trousers. "Your top's inside out,"

Harry looked down, vaguely surprised, and shrugged. He was not a morning person. Not like Draco, who was showered, dressed and halfway through his breakfast. Draco watched as the Chosen One slowly traipsed into the kitchen and emerged seconds later, holding an empty bowl and looking confused.

"Um, Potter? Cereal? Toast?" Draco tried to help him out, and Harry looked so thankful that he had as he smiled and turned back into the kitchen. Draco couldn't help but smile to himself, he'd never thought about what kind of person his enemy would be in mornings, but if he had, he wouldn't have been far off. 

Harry put his bowl down on the table opposite Draco, and then plonked himself into the seat behind it. 

"I can tell you love mornings," Draco said, sarcastically, looking up and meeting Harry's scowl with a brilliant smile.

"I couldn't sleep," He said, sounding frustrated, and Draco nodded, he knew all too well what that meant. 

"Nightmares?" He asked, "Me too,"

The thought of Draco having nightmares too comforted Harry a little. Not because of any dislike for the ex death eater, but more because it meant he wasn't alone. He smiled at him and nodded. Neither of them needed to ask what the other's were about and they sat there in silence, taking comfort from the other's presence, until Molly Weasley came downstairs. 

"Good morning, Harry, what are you doing up this early? You and Ron don't normally emerge until lunch time," She smiled. She was wearing a stripey, knitted dressing gown that clashed with her red hair. 

"Couldn't sleep," He said, in the same sleepy, yet frustrated voice he had used when telling Draco the same thing. 

"Ah, poor dear," She looked at him sympathetically before padding into the kitchen in ther fluffy slippers. 

"She hates me," Draco muttered, as he gave up with the spoon and began fishing the last few coco pops out of the bowl with his long fingers.

"She doesn't, she just.."

"Hates me," He interrupted, "Thanks for trying to make me feel better, Potter, but she hates me, and the worst of it is, she has every right to,"

"She'll forgive you eventually, I did,"

"You shouldn't have," Draco looked up and met Harry's eyes across the table.

"But I did," Harry smiled, and Draco realised that he had never before noticed just _how_ green Harry's eyes _were_. He quickly looked away as he realised what he was thinking, just in time too, as both Ron and Hermione appeared at the foot of the stairs. It would have been so embarrassing if they'd come down to see their best friend and their enemy staring into eachother's eyes. 

"Morning," Draco smiled at them.

"Slept well?" Hermione returned the smile, she and Draco appeared to be the only people who had actually decided to get dressed before coming emerging.

"Yes, thank you, and you?" Draco wasn't used to being so polite to her, but he knew this couldn't be easy for her either.

"Wonderfully," Throughout this exchange Ron had been standing beside his girlfriend, scowling at Draco. He grabbed Hermione's hand and tugged her into the kitchen. Harry could faintly hear a similar conversation going on in there, but with Mrs Weasley this time. 

 

* * *

 

That night, as Harry was walking up to the room he shared with Ron, he heard Draco crying out. He crept towards the door and pushed it open a crack, in the darkness he could just make out the figure tossing and turning in the bed.

"Malfoy," He whispered, as he took a step into the room. Although the room wasn't actually Draco's and not a single thing in it belonged to him, except a small suitcase, Harry still felt as though he wasn't respecting Draco's privacy. However Harry couldn't see someone in that state and leave them in it, he knew how awful those nightmares could get. 

"Malfoy," He said again, slightly louder, as he approached the bed. He stretched out his hand and shook Draco's shoulder. The boy suddenly opened his eyes and sat up, Harry could see the beads of sweat on his forehead, and even in the darkness he could tell his eyes were filled with fear. 

"Sorry, you..had a nightmare," Harry turned and began to walk to the door. 

"Stay," Draco's voice was shaky and when Harry turned he could see that Malfoy looked small and vulnerable; and, in his eyes, Harry could see that pleading had taken the place of the terror that had resided there when he had first awoken.

Harry nodded and tip-toed toward the bed once more. He sat down on the end of the bed where Draco was not, and he smiled reassuringly at him. Both boys laid down and proceeded to sleep peacefully, top-to-toe, until the morning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the delay, my laptop is broken so I'm having to post from my phone. I hope you like it!


	5. Broken

When the two boys emerged in the morning, both later than usual and looking very rumpled, Ron splurted his orange juice across the table.

"What the...?!" He began. Hermione elbowed him and he turned to look at her surprised and confused. "Harry?" 

Harry turned to look at Draco, he took in the other boy's messy blonde hair and pyjama bottoms. His eyes widened as he realised what it might look like to his best friends. 

"Um..uh..no, we..er.." He coughed, he was hoping that Hermione or even Malfoy would jump to his rescue with a more reasonable explaination. He sighed with relief when Draco did just that.

"I had a nightmare," Draco shrugged. "I guess Potter heard and came to see if I was okay," He took a seat at the table and began spreading butter and some toast. "Could you pass the marmalade, please?" Hermione slid the homemade jar across to him. 

"Went to see if he was okay and _climbed into his bed?_ " Ron still hadn't taken his eyes off Harry. "Harry he's a fucking _death eater_ , he's responsible for.." Ron glanced across at the the mark on his enemy's pale arm. He stood up and walked away. 

"I shouldn't be here." Draco cringed, he looked awful. "Fuck, I should've known. Shit. Sorry," 

Hermione flashed him an apologetic look as she ran after Ron. 

"Malfoy, it'll be fine. He'll come around," Harry said, sitting opposite him. 

"He shouldn't have to. This is their house. He shouldn't have to." He dropped his half eaten toast onto the plate and stood up. "I'm sorry, tell them I'm sorry. And thank you. I'll go" 

"Malfoy.." Harry called after him as he, too, walked off upstairs. Harry got up to follow him. When he entered Charlie's room, Malfoy was packing the few things he'd come with. 

"Shame, first full night's sleep I've had for ages," He said, half-heartedly.

"Yeah," Harry mumbled, "Me too," He glanced around him at the small room, cluttered with trunks, piles of the traditional Weasley christmas jumpers, small models of different dragons. When he glanced back at where Malfoy was he found that he had gone. 

* * *

A day later Harry pushed the food around his plate, barely listening to the lively conversation around him. It was as though Malfoy had never been there, and Harry couldn't quite make sense of the feeling in his stomach. 

"Harry, pass the salt could you? That's it, good man!" Mr Weasley smiled as he tipped a ridiculous amount of salt onto his roast potatoes. 

"Arthur!" His wife exclaimed. 

"Y'right mate?" Ron asked, nudging his friend. Harry just nodded. It wasn't until he, Ron and Hermione were up in Ron's room that he finally spoke. 

"Where d'you think he went?" He asked, the moment the door had shut behind them. Ron and Hermione looked at eachother.

"I don't know, Harry.." Hermione said, seeing Harry's distraught expression, however, she continued. "School starts soon, maybe he went to Hogwarts? Or maybe he went back to the Malfoy Manor?" 

"Right, yeah, course." There was a silence, and they all shuffled awkwardly. "Well I have to see if he's okay..so..I'll be back soon," 

"What? _Harry!_ " She shouted, her eyes wide, but her friend had gone. 

"Shit," Ron said, turning to lay down on his bed.

"Ronald!" Hermione said, horrified, "Should we go after him?" Ron sighed and stood up again. There was no point in disagreeing with her, once the idea was in her head then there was no stopping her. He took her hand and a moment later they were standing ankle deep in snow. They were surrounded by small shops and could just about see the Shrieking shack through some trees. 

 

Harry walked up the steps and knocked on the huge wooden door of Malfoy Manor. It creaked open and a small house elf stood before him. 

"Is Malfoy here? Um..Draco...Malfoy?" Harry asked uncertainly. The house elf nodded slowly and stepped back, Harry smiled at him and stepped into the huge dark hallway. He shivered, the house was almost colder than outside. He walked through dark room after dark room, each one seemed colder than the last, and each fireplace was blackened and empty. Eventually he appeared back in the hall and started going up the stairs. Each step echoing loudly in the big house.   
He could see a light coming from one door at the end of the landing and he headed toward it. At first the room seemed empty, but at least it was warm and there was a fire blazing in the corner. The whole room was decorated in silver and green, Slytherin colours, and it was immediately clear whose room it was. He walked in, and it was only then that he saw Malfoy wedged in between the green wall and the end of his bed. He seemed even paler than usual and he had dark circles underneath his red eyes.

"What are you doing here?" He whispered, his voice was hoarse and he refused to look up at Harry. 

"I came to see if you were okay..." Harry hesitantly took a step towards him. 

"Well now you have. Now you've seen me, like this. Happy? Will you just _go?_ " 

"No,"

Draco looked up at him then, seeing Harry's gentle, caring eyes his cold exterior fell and tears began to rise once more in his eyes and there was nothing he could do to stop them. Harry rushed towards him and knelt down. He brushed Draco's tears away with his thumb then pulled the other boy closer. He enveloped him into a hug and held him whilst he shook and cried. They were still sitting like that hours later when Ron and Hermione appeared, having realised that they were not in Hogwarts. Harry looked up at them as they entered the room, he could feel Draco's body stiffen. 

"I'm staying," He said, quietly. Hermione nodded, and Harry watched as his best friends left him with his broken enemy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it took me so long, here you go! I hope you like it :)


	6. Christmas Decorating

"Malfoy, do you know what day it is tomorrow?" Harry grinned over a bowl of dry cereal. Both boys were wrapped in blankets and had hot water bottles balanced on their laps.  
"Merlin, have you forgotten again, Potter?" Malfoy mocked, "You really should get this stupidity of yours checked, it's getting worse."   
Harry frowned at him, but decided to ignore the insult.  
"It's _Christmas_ you git,"  
"Mmhmm," Malfoy munched on some toast, "and who would've thought that I, Draco Malfoy, would be spending it with Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived,"   
"Twice," Harry smiled, jokingly at him. "The Boy Who Lived Twice,"  
"Who's head is just growing bigger by the day, it would seem,"   
"It's because it's full of such wonderful things...can we decorate? Let's decorate," Harry said, looking around at the dull, empty rooms. Not a single one of them looked even a little homely and Harry shuddered as he imagined Malfoy growing up there.   
"If you want," Malfoy shrugged, "I don't think it ever has been decorated before though. Not really the christmassy type as I'm sure you can imagine,"  
" _You_ aren't the Christmassy type, or your _parents_ aren't?"  
"Same thing really,"   
"It's not, I'll prove it, be right back," With that he disappeared.   
When he arrived back at the Manor an hour and a half later it took him a while to find his enemy again. Harry walked slowly into the boy's bedroom, finding Malfoy, once more, curled up in the corner.   
"I...I can't be alone..." He whispered, looking lost and confused. He hated Potter seeing him like this, but he couldn't help it, whenever Harry left him alone he reveerted back to how he had been right after the war.  
Harry dropped his bags onto the floor and rushed to comfort the blond teen.  
"You don't need to do that," Malfoy pushed him away, "Just don't go again,"   
Harry nodded and then shuffled along the floor to the pile of coloured tissue paper spilling across the floor. He began picking up the bags one by one and proudly showing Draco what he'd purchased. Draco would counter this with criticsm or laughter, the former of which Harry would ignore. 

 

* * *

"Still think you aren't the Christmassy type?" Harry asked, glancing at Malfoy as they stepped back to admire the room that they'd just transformed from the huge eerie hovel. There was a Christmas tree in the corner, covered with tinsel, fairy lights and small decorations. Small glowing Father Christmas's lined the walls, tied onto pieces of green string. There was a blazing fire within the open stone fireplace and paper chains draped over the mantel.  
"Course," Draco grinned back, although Harry could see in his eyes that he loved the changes to the room.  
"Nah, I can tell, I've completely transformed you. You are now completely and utterly Christmassy and throughout the whole rest of you life you will beg me to help you put up the decorations because no matter how hard you try it just never looks as good as when I do it," Harry laughed. Draco didn't. He'd realised that Harry had implied that he'd be around for the whole rest of his life, and he wasn't quite sure why this caused butterlies in his stomach.  
Throughout the rest of the day Harry kept catching Draco staring at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. It wasn't until they were sitting in front of the fire playing a game of Wizards chess that Harry decided to mention it.   
"You keep staring at me, finally realised how good looking I am?" He mocked as Malfoy glowed red and muttered the co-ordinates to take Harry's Queen.   
"Finally realising how awful you are at Wizard's chess, more like. Didn't Ron teach you _anything?_ " Harry's grin fell as he looked down at the board and noticed that he only had a king and three pawns remaining.  
"Oh," He pushed his glasses back up his nose and bit his lip, Malfoy found that he was staring again and quickly looked away before Harry saw. "I think I'll go to bed,"   
" _What?_ Are you joking? You have to at least finish. Just because you know you'll lose," Malfoy jeered, although that wasn't the reason he wanted Harry to stay. The moment he had stood up Malfoy felt like he needed Harry to stay with him. He wanted to carry on sitting by the fire, watching the gentle glow reflecting in Harry's glasses.   
"Exactly," Harry yawned, "We already know how the game's going to turn out, and I am exhausted,"   
"Alright then, Potter, I'll come with you,"   
"Aw, don't want me to leave you?" Harry joked, his eyes widened in shock when his enemy stated, in all seriousness, that no, he didn't want him to leave.

When they reached Draco's bedroom Harry stripped down to his boxers, removed his glasses and clumsily wriggled into his sleeping bag.   
"Is that all you do?" Draco asked, genuinely surprised.  
"Uh..yes? What do _you_ do?"   
Draco only walked out the room, his footsteps echoing down the corridoor.  
Harry was nearly asleep when the other boy re-entered the room smelling of moisturiser. Draco walked further in, stumbling in the darkness but, the Harry's surprise instead of climbing into his bed as he had for the past few nights, he forced himself into Harry's sleeping bag and snuggled into the Gryffindor's back.  
"Uhm, Draco?"   
"Fuck off, Potter, I'm cold,"


	7. Christmas Day

When Harry woke in the morning he found the Malfoy's arm was wrapped around his shoulder and he couldn't help but think back to their rivalry at Hogwarts and how far they had come since then. He slid out of the sleeping bag, trying hard not to wake the other boy. Draco could feel the cold air rush in and he opened his eyes to find Harry pulling a t-shirt on.

"Hmm, haven't slept that well in a while," He mumbled, and it was only when Draco said this that Harry realised that it was his first full night of sleep since...well, as long as he could remember really.

"Yeah, me too," He smiled as he watched Malfoy elegantly pulling himself from the sleeping bag. " How do you do that?" 

"What?" Draco looked confused.

"How do you do everything so _elegantly_?" Harry laughed.

"Not everyone is a clumsy elephant, Potter" Draco purposfully emphasised each movement as he swept out of the room and down the corridoor. 

Harry was left alone in his enemy's room and he walked around looking at the spotless surfaces, peering into drawers full of neatly folded clothes, where was all of Malfoy's _stuff_? He tried to imagine what it must have been like for Draco, growing up in this huge empty house with Lucius as a father. He knew that none of Malfoy's past was an excuse for the path he chose to take before, and during the war, but he was beginning to see why it had seemed like an option. He could imagine Draco as a child trying hard to please Lucius, he kept everything so neat, but it was clear that the room was the one in which he spent most of his time. 

Just then Malfoy re-entered the room, interrupting Harry's train of thought. 

"Breakfast?" Harry asked, looking up at him. His breath caught in his throat; Malfoy's blond hair fell across his forehead and Harry could see the beginnings of stubble on his chin. He seemed to have a light in his silver eyes that the Gryffindor had never seen before.

"Do I look stupid?" Malfoy questioned, hesitantly, "I can't remember the last time I didn't gel my hair back,"

"No," Harry coughed, "You look..uhm..great," 

"Oh?" Draco said, smirking. Harry could have sworn he saw him wink. 

 

Later that day they were sitting on the floor by the fire, Harry was trying to teach Malfoy a muggle card game, when they heard a distant crack, shortly followed by a loud knock on the door. Draco stood up to go and answer it, he reached the door of the room before turning back and looking at Harry, silently asking him to come too. When they opened the door Hermione stood before them in the snow, without a coat.

"Hermione! Come in, you must be freezing," 

"I didn't wrap up, I forgot that I wouldn't be able to apparate right in to the house," 

A few minutes later the three of them were sitting by the fire once more, except this time Hermione was joining in her friend's frustration as they tried to teach their rival Racing Demons.

"Did you just sense that I needed help or was there an actual reason you stopped by?" Harry asked Hermione, grinning.

"Yes," She thumped his arm, and, ignoring Harry's _ow_ she carried on. "I came to wish you a Merry Christmas, and...give you these!" She pulled two parcels out from her tiny bag that had travelled with them on their horcrux mission just before the war. 

"Sorry, they aren't great. Harry, you're impossible to buy for and Draco, I don't know you all that well," Draco was surprised at her use of his christian name, let alone that she'd actually bought him a christmas gift. Harry laughed as he unwrapped his parcel from his friend, it contained a pair of Gryffindor socks and a snitch. 

"It's because all of your socks have holes in them! And you have a broomstick already but now you can actually play games. Are they...okay?" She asked hesitantly.

"They're perfect, thank you Hermione," Harry leant over and hugged her before turning to watch Malfoy open his gift. He laughed aloud when he saw what it was.

"It's a muggle cookbook!" Hermione explained when she saw Draco's confused expression. "I remembered how much you loved potions, so I thought this was kind of similar," 

Draco smiled and began to flick through, he liked the sound of it and couldn't help but think that it would be a really fun thing to do with Potter. He was a little surprised that Granger had noticed how much he loved potions, but then he thought back to the frizzy-haired, know it all she had been in Hogwarts. 

Hermione stood up, closely followed by Harry and Draco. 

"I'd better get back," She said, leaning over and kissing them each on the cheek. "Don't forget to pop round to the Burrow tomorrow, Harry. Molly wants to give you a certain knitted present!" She laughed and then turned to Draco, "And of course bring Draco," 

"Are you...ahem..sure? I don't want to come if I'd be...intruding." Malfoy asked her.

"Of course I'm sure. I didn't ask specifically, but everyone was quite surprised by how suddenly you left, I'm sure they'd be fine!" She smiled at them and then quickly turned and left, they could here the crack as she disapparated. 

 

"I'm not going tomorrow, Potter," Draco muttered later as they sat eating their dinner on the sofa. 

"Why?" Harry looked up and Draco was surprised to see genuine concern on his face.

"They obviously don't want me there, and I understand why. Who can blame them? I'm surprised _you're_ actually talking to me," His tone got angrier as he went on, continuing to express his guilt and fury about the part he had played in the war. Harry reached down and placed his half eaten meal on the floor. It was some fancy pasta they had made earlier from Draco's new cookbook. He leant across, closing the gap between them and placed his hand on top of the Slytherin's. 

"I made a promise to you that I would never leave you alone, so if you don't want to go then neither will I." Harry whispered, he said it so quietly that Draco almost didn't hear.

"But..you can't mean that. They're basically your family..you can't not see them at Christmas time because....because of me," 

"I lived with them for quite a while after the war, and I always had awful nightmares. I never wanted to go to bed, but then you turned up, and they stopped. You don't try and get me to talk about it, you just understand. You seem to understand everything which is fucking weird to be honest because I hated you for a long time. Malfoy, I know that they are family to me, but...but so are you...now..." His voice trailed away and he swallowed. He couldn't look at his once enemy, how would he react??

Suddenly he felt Malfoy's cold slender fingers pulling him to face him, he saw silver eyes filled with tears, and then he felt chapped lips softly touch his. Malfoy was hesitant at first, but when he realised that Harry was into it too he grew more confident. He pushed his tongue into Harry's mouth and felt the other boy responding. They finally pulled away and stared at eachother, both feeling a mixture of feelings. Draco took in Harry's unruly black hair and the scar just visable beneath it, his glasses sitting wonkily on his nose.

"Thank you," Malfoy breathed, then he stood up and walked away.


	8. Chapter 8

Harry stared up at Malfoy's blond hair that had fallen across his pale face whilst he slept. The sunlight streamed into the window making it almost luminescent. He couldn't take his eyes off of him, how peaceful he looked in his sleep, so innocent, so...beautiful.  
"Didn't anyone ever tell you it's rude to stare?" Malfoy mumbled, his voice was husky from sleep and slightly muffled by the fabric of the sleeping bag but it still cut through the silence and made Harry jump.  
"How...how did..um-" Draco slowly opened his eyes and watched the raved-haired boy fumbling around and frantically trying to look anywhere _but_ him.  
"Magic," He said as he felt a smile tugging at his lips. 

 

"I don't know why you always _insist_ on burning the toast," Malfoy said later as he stood on a stool and wafted a baking tray around infront of the beeping smoke alarm. Harry stood in front of a black slice of toast, his face scrunched up and his hands over his ears.  
"It's _your_ toaster, I never had this problem with my Aunt and Uncle..."  
"Yes, and lets not even begin to discuss what kind of horrid muggle contraption they had,"  
Harry was about to object when he realised that their toaster was pretty awful. Aunt Petunia often mentioned that _surely that huge cloud of smoke shouldn't be there?_ whilst Uncle Vernon insisted that _it's the best toaster money can buy, Harry must be doing something wrong!_ Dudley just ate the toast, eyes fixed on the television. Harry had somehow learned to make what he thought was pretty nice toast with it though, but old habits die hard and he cringed as he bit into something that in no way resembled a slice of toast.  
"I'll go," Draco announced, matter-of-factly as he stepped down from the stool. Harry looked up at him, confused. "Today, to the Weasley's," The blond began pouring himself a cup of black coffee.  
"Uh...are you sure? Malfoy, you really don't have to, I don't mind,"  
"Of course I'm sure. Granger invited me, what kind of a wimp would I be if I backed out of a meal the _Weasley's?_ Coffee?"  
"Ugh, no thanks, gross," Harry made a face. "So you're really sure then? And they aren't the _Weasley's_ , they're my family,"  
"I'm sure, and, um, yeah...of course. I know that I don't even deserve to...erm..go today...but I want to make things better...I know I shouldn't say it like that, but I guess it's just how I...how I _cope_ with it all..." Malfoy looked down into his mug of coffee, squinted slightly, then looked up at Harry. "So, you don't like coffee?"  
"No," Harry could tell that Draco didn't want to talk about the Weasley's any longer so he went with the subject change. "I prefer tea, with sugar." As if to show this to Draco he began making himself a cup.  
"Er, Potter, that's not really tea with sugar," Draco watched wide-eyed as Harry moved the teaspoon back and forth from the sugar bowl, "That's more like sugar with some tea,"  
"It's how I like it," Harry grinned at Malfoy and the Slytherin suddenly felt a strange fluttering feeling in his stomach. It was a completely new sensation to him and he felt the need to remove himself from the vicinity of Harry.  
"We should probably start...um..going now," He said, checking his watch.  
"Malfoy, it's quarter to nine, Ron won't even be awake yet,"  
"Yes, well..." Malfoy trailed off as he felt the urge to grab Harry's face in his hands and push him against the worktop. He left the room quickly, appalled with his own thoughts and leaving a very confused Gryffindor looking after him. He knew that Harry had kissed him back last night, but that didn't mean anything, he could've gotten swept up in the moment, or it could have been the two or three glasses of firewhiskey they had drunk to celebrate the day; and he certainly wasn't going to do anything more about it until he knew for sure that Harry truly wanted too.

* * *

"Harry!" Hermione opened the door of The Burrow and threw herself into the arms of her friend. Draco shuffled awkwardly in the snow behind him and began to think that this was a really bad idea. When Hermione finally stepped back she turned and smiled at Draco before inviting them both in.  
"Ah, Harry, dear! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas at..at..." Molly Weasley was still holding a cheerful smile, however it was clear that it was becoming more and more forced as she tried to finish her sentance. "Draco, glad you could join us," Both boys went to talk their seats side by side at the table, Harry greeting Ginny on the way.  
After a relatively awkward meal with Draco silently wishing that he had never come throughout it, everyone went to sit on the well-worn sofas surrounding a very green Christmas tree.  
"I'll put the kettle on," Molly said, and Arthur followed her from the room.  
"Malfoy..." Ron coughed, "I'm...well...I think I could've been a bit nicer...before..."  
"Don't _you_ be sorry, you were right to treat me exactly as you did. I deserved it. You don't need to listen to Potter and Granger, I don't know why the fuck they're treating me as nicely as they are and I _really fucking_ appreciate it, but you can still take as long as you need," Draco hadn't looked up from the ground once, it felt just as wrong to say those things to Weasley as it had for Ron to hear them. It may have _felt_ wrong but he knew it was _right_.  
At that moment Mr and Mrs Weasley re-entered the room, Molly carrying a large tray laden with steaming mugs and Arthur, two plates, each containing some warm, homemade, mince pies. Hermione quickly cleared a space on the coffee table and the things were put down.  
"Harry, dear, this is from all of us," Harry smiled and thanked Mrs Weasley, ignoring a snort from Ron. He ripped open the gift and feigned surprise as he held up a knitted jumper. He pulled it on and tried very hard not to itch. "Merry Christmas, for yesterday,"  
"Are you all going back to Hogwarts next week?" Arthur Weasley asked, leaning back in his armchair. He quickly jolted forwards again though as his head had been engulfed by the spikey tree branches.  
"Yes, I am, and I really do need to get to Diagon Alley and buy all the books that I need before they sell out-" Hermione was interrupted by Ron.  
"Don't think there's any risk of that," He snorted, and glanced over at Harry who was also grinning.  
"Oh, well we need to go too, don't we Ginny? To get your things. Shall we all go tomorrow? Ron, you are going back to Hogwarts, aren't you? Harry?"  
"I think that I've decided I will, I really want to become an auror and I know that I need N.E.W.T.s for that," Harry replied.  
"Ah, mate, you're going back? Guess I should too then, I'm not that bothered but I can't have you and 'Mione going off back to Gryffindor without me!" Ron looked quite reluctant at the idea of returning to school when there was actually an _option_ but there was no way he was going to let his two best friends go without him.Harry tried to hold back a grin hearing that Ron didn't want him and Hermione to be alone together.  
Harry could feel Draco fidgeting nervously beside him and he adjusted his position so that his right hand fell beside Malfoy's left, he nudged his finger back and touched the pale hand gently. Out of the corner if his eye he could see Draco jolt in surprise and glance down at their hands, then slowly up to Harry.  
"Thank you so much for having us, Molly, Arthur, but it's getting a bit late," Harry said as he stood up. He turned briefly to see that Draco was standing up beside him.  
"Of course, Harry, it was wonderful to have you-" Arthur paused as he glanced toward Draco "-both. You know that you are _always_ welcome," He reached over the coffee table and shook hands with Harry.  
"Do you need to go to Diagon Alley, too? Why don't you come with us?" Molly Weasley asked as she walked towards the front door.  
"Um," Harry glanced over at Malfoy who seemed to be a bit pre-occupied with searching for his black leather shoes amongst the messy shoe rack, "Maybe, I'm not quite sure what I'd need to buy yet, if we do go though, I'll make sure to look out for you," He smiled and hugged her, quickly followed by Ginny, Hermione and a clap on the back from Ron. 

* * *

"Why didn't you say that we'd go? To Diagon Alley?" Draco questioned Harry as they were lying back to back in the sleeping bag that evening, "You know that you do need to buy things," There was a long silence and Draco began to wonder whether or not Harry was even awake. "Potter?"  
"I didn't want to just agree without talking about with you first. I'm not leaving you again, and you might not have wanted to go," Harry said, simply.  
"Oh," Draco said quietly and he heard a huge rustle as Harry awkwardly turned over, he proceded to do the same and found himself staring into the green eyes of Harry Potter. "Thank you,"  
"Do you want to then?" Harry asked. Draco paused.  
"What?"  
"To go, do you want to go tomorrow?" Harry looked so concerned and Draco wanted to wrap his arms around him and show him that really he was absolutely fine.  
"Yes. If you want to go, I do too."  
"Oh really?," Harry raised his eyebrows at Malfoy.  
"Oh, sod off, Potter," the blond groaned and closed his eyes.   
"You know you want me to stay, really," Draco heard Harry whisper and he decided just ignore it, but he couldn't help but think how true that statement had become, and that scare him. He wasn't sure how long he lay there pretending to sleep but he could hear Harry's breathing slow before he finally drifted off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I realised that I'd mixed up some days and ended up with two Christmas's but I've altered it a bit and at the beginning of the story they are just all eating together at Christmas time but Christmas day is actually spent at Malfoy Manor.  
> Sorry to be confusing!


	9. Chapter 9

Harry was woken by the sun streaming through the window. He could hear clattering downstairs and rolled out of the sleeping bag to find out what on _earth_ Malfoy was doing.

“Good Morning, Potter. You look…interesting,” Draco said, raising his eyebrows as Harry entered in a huge grey t-shirt and some oversized pyjama bottoms.

“Fuck off,” Harry said, his voice full of sleep, “What are you doing?” 

“Cooking. These are soufflé’s,” He stated triumphantly, “from the book that Granger gave me.”

“What kind?” Harry asked, scraping some melted chocolate from the side of a bowl.

“Hot chocolate, the recipe is by someone called Mary Berry? Weird name if you ask me, but the soufflé’s smell good so I trust her so far,”

Harry grinned, “Sounds good, when are they ready?”

“They’ve been in for 10 minutes now,” said Draco, checking the time, “So maybe just over half an hour?”

“Cool, and what time do you want to go to Diagon Alley?”

“What time are Granger and Weasley going?”

“I’m not sure, but we don’t need to go _with_ them, if you don’t want. We can go to Diagon, and we’ll most likely run into them. You’re still going through stuff, Malfoy, we all are. And I don’t want to make anyone do anything they’re uncomfortable with.”  
Draco looked down at the ground. He’d always thought that Potter had just been some lucky kid, the Chosen One, that anyone could have done what Harry had done. Now he saw Potter differently. He wasn’t some cocky git that was the same as everyone else. He actually was all the stuff people said about him. There was a reason he was the one to fight the Dark Lord, there was a reason so many people looked up to him. And if Draco hadn’t spent so many years being jealous of Potter then maybe he would’ve seen this sooner. He slid his hand across the island so that his little finger was just touching Harry’s.

“Thanks, Potter. You don’t need to be so nice to me all the time you know, you’re already doing me a massive favour just by…just by being here,”

“Stop thinking of it as a favour then. Because it isn’t. You didn’t ask me to be here. I chose to be. And besides, it helps me to sleep anyway,” Harry looked up at Draco to find the grey eyes already on him. Draco stepped forward and Harry noticed that his glasses were starting to fog slightly because of Draco’s breathing. Then, Malfoy closed the gap and his tongue was in Harry’s mouth and it tasted of chocolate. Harry’s arms were wrapped around Draco’s waist and he shuddered as Draco’s slender fingers made their way to his hair. They paused for breath and _how come Draco had never noticed how green Potter’s eyes were before_? Harry couldn’t believe that Malfoy’s tongue was in his mouth for the _second time_ and it felt _so fucking amazing._  
When they finally pulled apart, panting, Draco felt a rush of cold air where Harry had just been and he immediately missed the feeling of their bodies pressed together. 

“I’m going to…um…get dressed,” Harry mumbled, and, avoiding looking at Draco, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving a very confused blond looking after him.

 

“Oh, I need a new wand,” Draco said, gesturing to Ollivanders. Then he paused, “I can’t. I can’t go in there. He shouldn’t have to see me again. Ever.” 

“Good thing I’ve still got your wand then,” Harry said. Malfoy was right, no matter how much he had clearly changed since the war, it wasn’t fair on Ollivander to ask him to serve Draco.

“You do? Why?” Malfoy asked, turning to Harry surprised.

“Just in case,” Harry shrugged. “Hang on, if you have no wand, then what were you doing when you got spotted that night?”

“Promise you won’t, I don’t know, judge me?”

“Promise,”

“I had my mother’s wand. I used it to make a Polyjuice potion. I wanted to just be anyone but me for a while. I wanted to be able to walk into a pub and have a drink without being hexed. Unfortunately some muggle saw me transforming. I should have been more careful,”

“I get it. I mean, obviously it isn’t the same, but sometimes I use polyjuice to be able to have a quite drink without needing to sign a billion autographs,”

“You should go for a drink with me, no one would approach you then,” Draco gave a hollow chuckle.

“Is that an offer?” Harry smirked, looking sideways at Malfoy’s reddening face. “Come on then, let’s go to the Leaky Cauldron,” And with that Harry walked off, a spluttering Draco following close behind.

“Harry!” He looked up to see Hermione weaving her way through the tables in the leaky closely followed by Ron.

“Hey,” He grinned, “Fancy seeing you two here,” 

“We’re nearly done, aren’t we Ron? Just having a drink before heading back. You should stop in and see Ollivander, haven’t seen him for a while,”

“Yeah, I’ll do that later,” Harry said, glancing over at Draco.

“Right,” said Hermione, her eyes flitting from one to the other, “We’d better go then. See you soon! Can’t believe we’re going back to Hogwarts,” 

“Yeah, see you later mate,” Ron nodded to Harry before following his girlfriend out of the pub.

“You can go and see him, you know. If you want,” Draco mumbled after a moment of silence.

“I can’t leave you,”

“I’ll be fine, Potter, I’m a grown man. I can take care of myself,” 

“Okay,” Harry frowned. “If you’re sure you’ll be fine…don’t move though,”  
Draco rolled his eyes and drew a cross over his heart, then, Harry was gone. It didn’t take long for people to notice Draco Malfoy sitting alone. 

“Oh, look who it is! The _death eater_ who let the other _death eaters_ into Hogwarts,”

“Want to run and tell father? Oh that’s right, you can’t. He’s in Azkaban where he belongs! Remind me again why you aren’t there?”   
It didn’t take long for the words to turn into hexes and when Harry returned after what felt like years Draco was bleeding on the floor.

“Oi! What the _fuck_ do you think you’re doing?!” Harry’s voice rang out and the pub fell silent. All eyes on the Boy Who Lived. 

“He’s a death eater, Harry, he deserves it,” Someone yelled out from near Draco’s feet.

“No, he _was_ a death eater. He fucked up, he made a mistake, albeit a very big one. No one’s asking you to be best friends with him. Hell, I’m not even asking you to like him. But _who the fuck_ attacks a helpless man that you _know_ can’t fight back and then continues to call themselves one of the good guys?” Everyone was silent. The group of Wizards and witches surrounding Draco kept their eyes firmly on the ground. “That’s what I thought. Now _fuck off_ ,”

**Author's Note:**

> This chapter's a bit shorter but I'll be a bit busy for a while so I thought I'd just post it! I hope you like it :)


End file.
